Side-coiling articulated curtain and drive mechanism therefor



Jan. 20, 1970 E. J. DUNCAN ET AL 3,490,514

SIDE-COILING ARTICULATED CURTAIN AND DRIVE MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Nov. 29, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet l ENVENTDR'S EL/wm J. OUNCA/V 545w R. STALL/N65 Jan. 20, 1970 E. J. DUNCAN ET AL 3,490,514

SIDE-COILING ARTICULATED CURTAIN AND DRIVE MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Nov. 29, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 EL/V/ER J. DUNCAN ERl/l/V R STALL M165 MOTOR 24 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 SW/TCH PUSH BUTTOA/s E. J. DUNCAN ET AL SIDE-COILING ARTICULATED CURTAIN AND DRIVE MECHANISM THEREFOR Jan. 20, 1970 Filed Nov.

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United States Patent T 3,490,514 SIDE-COILING ARTICULATED CURTAIN AND DRIVE MECHANISM THEREFOR Elmer J. Duncan, Norfolk, and Ervin Stallings, Chesapeake, Va., assignors to The J. G. Wilson Corporation, Norfolk, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 597,660

Int. Cl. E06b 9/08; E041: 2/ 82 US. Cl. 160-23 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for side coiling or uncoiling an articulated curtain comprising a rotatably mounted takeup reel, an articulated curtain one side edge of which is secured to said reel and adapted to be coiled thereon, a drive shaft having sprocket means to mesh with said curtaln, a return weight, flexible cable-like means secured between sa d reel and said weight for effecting a coiling of said curtam on said reel upon release of said curtain, and means for rotating said shaft to cause the sprocket means to act 0n the curtain and uncoil it from said reel against the action of the Weight or, upon reversal of said power means, to cause the sprocket means to turn in the opposite direction and allow the curtain to be coiled on the reel as it is turned by said weight.

This invention relates to a side-coiling articulated curtain adapted to function as a partition in a building and control mechanism therefor.

Partitions of this type in the past have been diflicult to coil because, as they were coiled, the diameter of the coiled partition gradually increased and, therefore, increased the power required to rotate the coil at the same rate of speed. When the coil was rotated at the same rate of speed, the partition would be coiled much more rapidly towards the end of the coiling operation than at the beginning of said operation. Such variation in coiling speed is also objectionable.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a side-coiling articulated partition and drive mechanism therefor which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sidecoiling partition of the above character which is coiled and uncoiled at constant speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a selfcoiling partion of the above character which can be either motor or hand operated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a partition of the above character which Will roll quickly and easily and in a straight or angular line.

Another object of the invention is to provide a partition of the above character which is adequately supported and guided throughout its path of travel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a partition and drive mechanism therefor of the above character which can be readily assembled, shipped and installed.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and do not define the scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like parts in he several views:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary horizontal view of a side coiling articulated curtain and its drive mechanism, on the line I-I of FIGURE 5, in the direction of the arrows.

3,490,514 Patented Jan. 20, 1970 FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the curtain of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the same curtain, on the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2, in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan of the structure of FIGURE 1, on the line IVIV of FIGURE 5, in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view, with parts in elevation, on the lines VV of FIGURES 1 and 4, in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line VIVI of FIGURE 7, in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the lines VIIVII of FIGURES 4 and 6, in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view corresponding to FIGURE 6, but showing a slight modification.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line lX-IX of FIGURE 8, in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line XX of FIGURE 8, in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 11 is a diagram of wiring which may be used in a circuit for controlling the movement of the curtain.

The first embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 7, inclusive, and 11, consists generally in a side-coiling articulated grille or curtain 21, adapted to function as a partition. Such curtain is movable in and out of a housing or coil box 22 and wrapped on or unwrapped from a barrel or take-up reel 23 driven by power mechanism which may be a reversible motor 24, or by hand with a crank 25, and a return weight 26.

The coil box or housing 22 is desirably substantially rectangular in plan and horizontal section, as shown in FIGURE 1, as well as in side elevation and vertical section. It is desirably made from suitable material, such as structural steel shapes including angular member 27 and flat plates 28, united as shown. A vertical opening or slot 29 is formed in one of the walls of the housing 22 and extends from top to bottom. The housing 22 is positioned adjacent and connected to a suitable structural part 30 of a building in which it is contained.

The barrel or take-up reel 23 isv rotatably mounted within the housing 22 at its lower end by suitable means, such as a bearing receiving the lower end of the reel or trunnion extending from said reel. At its upper end, the reel 23 has a shaft or trunnion 31 received in a bearing 32 carried by a supporting arrangement33 extending across the top of the housing 22. The take-up reel has a plurality of flanges 34 vertically spaced along its length and provided with spiral-shaped peripheries each broken by a shoulder 35 against which the inner edge portion of the curtain abuts when said portion is suitably connected to said reel. The reel terminates at its lower end in a wide annular flange to be engaged by the pivot members for the rollers and limit downward movement of the curtain 21. See FIGURE 8.

- The curtain 21 is biased to a rolled-up position about said reel by the return weight 26 supported in a weight box 36 by a cable or the like 37. The cable 37 extends upward from the weight 26, over pulley 38 rotatable in a bracket 39 supported on beam arrangement 33, around pulley 41, similarly rotatably supported, but about a vertical rather than a horizontal axis, and operably connected to a pulley 42 secured to the shaft 31 of the reel 23.

The grille assembly or curtain is, in the present embodiment, formed of a series of normally vertical aluminum rods 43 horizontally spaced with respect to one another by flat bar aluminum links 44. The links 44 are vertically spaced with respect to one another by aluminum tubing sections 45 enclosing the rods 43 and positioned as illustrated. The sections 45 disposed above the top line of links 44, carry annular rollers 46 protruding into and rotatable in grooves 47 facing one another and formed by grille-supporting channels 48.

The curtain 21 is supported at itstop edge by rollers 49 carried by axles 51, the end portions of which extend on either side of connector bars 52. Each end of each connector bar 52 is, in turn, connected to the adjacent end of the neighboring bar 52 by a connecting strap 53, pivotally receiving the associated rods, said bars and straps being connected together by means of the upper end portions of the rods 43 passing through registering apertures in the juxtaposed parts and pinned to the bars 52, as indicated at 54, whereby said rods 43 are paired by the bars.

As the curtain 21 moves in or out of the housing 22, the train of rollers 49, so formed, rides on the top flanges of the channels 48, the webs of which are suitably secured to the inner surfaces of the depending flanges 55 of downwardly-opening supporting channel 56, the vertical legs of reinforcing angle irons 57 being sandwiched therebetween as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The channel 56 is supported at a suitable elevation by adjustable track hangers, not shown.

The lower ends of the rods 43 are similarly pivotally connected and paired by bars 58 and straps 59, it being noted that greater stability is imparted to the curtain by having the lower bars 58 underlie the upper straps 53 and the lower straps 59 underlie the upper bars 52. The bars 58 carry blocks 61 disposed between depending flanges of said bars and pinned thereto and to the lower end portions of the rods 43, as indicated at 62. A strap 63 depends from each block 61 through the guide slot 64 in the top of the lower upwardly opening guiding floor channel 65 forming a track for the curtain 21. The slot 64 is desirably lined by replaceable bronze wear angles 66. Each strap carries guiding rollers 60 adjacent its lower end, turnable about vertical axes between the slde walls of and enclosed in said channel 65, so that said rollers serve to guide the lower portion of the curtain in its travel. When wound up on the reel 23 the heads of the rivets or other means pivoting the rollers 60, rest on the flange 40, as viewed in FIGURE 8.

As indicated by the dotted lines forming top and left portions of FIGURE 1, the channels 56 and 65, shown n FIGURES 2 and 3, may extend straight from the houslng 22, or include a curved portion 65 along which the curtain 21 travels after emerging from the housing until its outer edge portion, defined by a desirably neoprene bumper 67, is received in an outwardly-opening desirably aluminum channel 68 which extends vertically along a slot in the building wall 69 to which the curtain 21 is to extend.

The motor drives the curtain 21 by means of a shaft 71 carrying toothed or notched wheels 72 as sprocket means 111 the notches or between the teeth of which are received tubing sections 45, forming in effect a sprocket and chain drive. Above the shaft 71 is a gear box 72' housing intermeshing bevel or right-angularly disposed gears, not shown. One gear is at the top of the shaft 71 and the other is at the left end of shaft 73, as viewed in FIG URE 4. The right hand end portion of shaft 73 carries a sprocket wheel 74 driven from a sprocket wheel 75 on the output shaft 76 of the speed reducing gear box 70 by means of a chain 77 passing around both wheels. The motor drives the gears in box 70 by means of a sprocket chain 78 passing around a sprocket wheel 80 on the box 70 and a sprocket wheel 89 on the motor armature shaft.

The motor 24 is controlled by mechanism including a brake drum 79. The arrangement is such that braking shoes are resiliently applied to the drum 79 when the power is shut off, so that there is no overrun while these shoes are magnetically released when the power is applied, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Any suitable circuit may be employed to control the motor, one example being shown in FIGURE 11. This is a commercial starter arrangement called the GE. Pan-A-Trol starter. The motor is shown as one of the 220-440 volt type for 3 phase, 60 cycle current. The power lines are designated 81, 82 and 83. The motor is fed from these lines through control circuit 84 including limit switch '85 and three operating buttons 86, 87 and 88.

Means for hand operating the curtain 21 are provided, as upon a power failure or other emergency. Such means includes the crank 25 mounted on a shaft 91 turnable in a bracket 92 and carrying a sprocket wheel 93 driving a sprocket wheel normally freely turnable on the input shaft of the gear box 70 which carries the sprocket wheel 80, by a chain 94. Connection is made for such hand operation through a clutch 95, biased to normally open position, by means of a clutch-shift lever 96. The lever 96 may be operated by any suitable means, such as a clutch control chain 97 which when pulled causes the clutch to operatively connect the sprocket wheel 90 to the gear in the box 70.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10, there is shown a housing or coil box 22a, secured to a building part 30a in and out of a suitable vertical slot in which a side coiling grille or curtain, not shown, but corresponding to the curtain 21 of the first embodiment and similarly mounted, may be moved and wrapped on or unwrapped from a barrel or take-up reel 23a driven by power mechanism or by hand, as described in connection with the first embodiment, and a return weight 26a.

The barrel or takeup reel 23a is rotatably mounted within the housing 22a at its lower end by suitable means, such as a bearing 98 receiving the lower end of the reel trunnion 99 secured by screw 101 and extending from said reel. At its upper end, the reel 23a has a shaft or trunnion 31a secured in a similar manner and received in a bearing 32a carried by a supporting arrangement 33aextending across the top of the housing 22a. The take-up reel has a plurality of flanges 34a vertically spaced along its length and provided with spiral-shaped peripheries each broken by a shoulder 35a against which the inner edge portion of the curtain abuts when said portion is suitably connected to said reel. The reel terminates at its lower end in a wide annular flange 40 to be engaged by the heads 50 of rivets or other pivot members for the rollers 60 and limit downward movement of the curtain.

The curtain is biased to a rolled-up position about said reel by the return weight 26a supported in a weight box 36a by a cable or the like 37a. The cable 37a extends upward from the weight 2611, over pulley 38a rotatable in a suitable support, around pulley such as 41 of the first embodiment, similarly rotatably supported, but about a vertical rather than a horizontal axis, and operably connected to a pulley 42a secured to the shaft 31a of the reel 23a.

The motor drives the curtain by means of a drive shaft 71a carrying sprocket means such as toothed or notched wheels 72a in the notches or between .the teeth of which are received tubing sections of the curtain forming in effect a sprocket and chain drive. Above the shaft 71a is a gear box housing intermeshing bevel or ri'ght-angularly disposed gears, not shown, as in the first embodiment. One gear is at the top of the shaft 71a and the other is at the left end of a shaft such as 73, as viewed in FIGURE 4 and driven as in the first embodiment. The shaft 71a may be assembled and connected as illustrated in FIGURE 9. That is, the wheels 72a may have stub shaft extensions 102 closely fitted in opposite ends of the hollow shaft 71a and secured thereto by screws 103. A similar structure may be used for the shaft 71 and the wheels 72 of the first embodiment.

Assuming the curtain of either embodiment is rolled up on its reel. To cause it to be unwound and act as a partition between two parts of the building in which housed, the close button 87 is manually depressed and the curtain will be moved out of its housing to the limit of travel allowed by the limit switch 85, unless the stop button is previously depressed, as when it is desired to stop the closing of the curtain before it reaches the limit of its normal travel. The open button is depressed when it is desired to retract the curtain into its housing. The emergency handling of the curtain has been described heretofore.

Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the Patent Statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes or modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for side coiling or uncoiling a curtain between' a reel and a channelled structural member to open or close the space therebetween, comprising a rotatably mounted take-up reel, an articulated curtain one side edge of which is secured to said reel and adapted to be coiled thereon with the formedcoil gradually increasing in diameter, a drive shaft having sprocket means to mesh directly with said curtain beyond said reel, a return weight, flexible cable-like means secured between said reel and said weight to allow the latter to urge the former to wind the curtain thereon, and means for rotating said shaft to cause the sprocket means to act on the curtain and at a uniform linear speed to either uncoil it from said reel against the action of the weight or, upon reversal, allow the sprocket means to turn in the opposite direction and the curtain to be coiled on the reel as it is turned by said weight.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the curtain consists of a series of horizontally spaced generally vertical rods, top and bottom straps connecting adjacent rods and with ends pivoted to the rods which they connect, said rods are paired at the top by connector bars, the opposite ends of which are pinned to the top end portions of the rods paired thereby, said rods are also paired at the bottom by connector bars, the opposite ends of which are pinned to the bottom and portions of the rods paired thereby, said bottom bars underlying the upper straps and the bottom straps underlying the top bars.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a housing secured to a column forming part of a building to be partitioned by said curtain, a side wall of said housing a vertical slot through which the curtain passes when moved from or to said reel, and a remote upright portion of said building is provided with an outwardlyopening channel to receive the leading edge portion of said curtain after it has been drawn from said reel.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there is an upwardly opening box in which said return weight moves up, as the curtain is drawn off said reel, and down to wind said curtain thereon.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein there is one pulley pivoted about a normally vertical axis and another pivoted about a normally horizontal axis and mounted over the weight box, said flexible means having one end connected to said reel, passing around the firstmentioned pulley, over the other pulley and with its other end passing to said box and connected to said weight.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the take-up reel has a plurality of vertically-spaced flanges the periphery of each of which is spiral with a shoulder of depth corresponding with the thickness of the curtain and providing notches in which the reel-connected edge portion of the curtain is received, the lower end portion of the reel having a wide outstanding flange portion on which the lower edge of the curtain is supported when rolled up.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the curtain consists of a series of horizontally spaced generally vertical rods, said rods being paired by links connecting adjacent rods and with ends pivoted to the lower end portions thereof, a bar connecting the rod of each pair to the nearer rod of the adjacent pair, the lower edge of said curtain terminating in a series of depending straps, each strap depending from a bar at the space between the lower ends of the rods to which connected, rollers pivoted to said straps, an upwardly opening floor channel forming a track, housing and with top flanges overlying said rollers, and upper means supporting the upper edge portion of said curtain.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the upper means comprises connector bars pairing the top end portions of said rods, upper roller means carried by said bars, a downwardly opening channel formed by an upper web and flanges depending from opposite edges thereof, structural means secured to the inner surface of said flanges and forming upper flanges on the upper surface of which said upper roller means are supported, and roller means pivoted on the upper end portions of said rods and disposed below said flanges.

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for rotating the shaft is a reversible electric motor, a driving wheel on the armature shaft of said motor, a speed-reducing gear box, a chain between said wheel and the input shaft of said box for turning the gears therein, an output shaft in said box, a wheel on said output shaft, a chain for driving the sprocket-means-carrying shaft, buttons for selectively switching the motor to cause the shaft to turn in a selected direction or stop, and control mechanism for said motor the operation of which is selectively initiated by said buttons.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein there is a crank for turning the gears in said box by hand, a clutch between said crank and gears and means for moving the clutch to select either power or hand rotation of the shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,585,270 5/ 1926 Stevenson -26 2,248,538 7/1941 Liebler 16023 2,747,661 5/1956 Lucas 160 -26 X 2,934,139 4/1960 Wardlaw et al. 16026 3,231,005 1/1966 Cookson et al. 16026 FOREIGN PATENTS 235,020 5/ 1911 Germany.

10,508 2/ 1845 Great Britain.

J. KARL B-ELL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 16033, 133, 310 

